Just saw on twitter stupid Babcock stole Andersen's right hand man ... Forget how his name spelt but he's a Finnish scout and responsible for us drafting Tatar nyquist pulkkinen jarnkrok marchenko nestrasil among a Few others

I honestly think the Mantha backlash was completely based on the fact that Wings fans haven't had too many first round, blue chip prospects to boner over in 20 years. We were starving for one. So when Mantha came along, the hype got out of hand.

I agree with Gretzky, Nyquist should have started that season in Detroit, also I agree last season, Jurco should've spent the year in GR, considering he had the exemption, he would've developed a little more to the NA game. Not that he would've been a big hit here, but we would have never lost Nestrasil for nothing. Sure, the log jam this year would've been a body larger, but who knows...I know he wasn't a huge loss, but you guys know my disgust with losing someone or nothing.

ALTHOUGH, after Nyquist was called up he was the hottest scorer in the league practically, could you imagine the contract he'd have now (as opposed to $4.75M) if he had played that entire season and scored at that pace for 65-82 games?

Pulkkinen was a 4th round draft pick 5 years ago... What is wrong with him being a complimentary player, getting 3rd line minutes and being a weapon on the power-play? I don't get it at all... He's a player we've been looking for for quite some time now. He is a goal scorer and if he becomes half as good as some of us expect him to be, he will be a really good player for the Red Wings...

It's Franzine, and I do believe purposely trolling a user is WAY beyond the rules of this forum. Don't like what I say in regards to players, then don't comment on it or ignore me, but DO NOT troll or try to attack me. I do believe that too is against forum rules...if not re-read them, you may need a refresher. Everytime I post something you are referring to me in some way regarding my uncles nephews wife's husband or my dislike for certain players, even though I didn't make reference to either subject, that is called purposely baiting me, also I did not refer to you in my post, nor did I refer to you in the prior post, but if you continue to troll me by making fun and mocking me, we can handle this through the mods. So I suggest you just ignore what I type, especially when it doesn't refer to you. If for some reason I bring you up or get on the subject of my dad's son's cousin's cousin OR the players I dislike, then feel free to comment on those subjects. As it is, the last 25 times you have posted something somewhere, it's sole purpose was to attack and bait me...

None of what you just said is true. I'm not trying to bait, or troll you. Period.

I am laughing at how ridiculous your opinions can be. Lat time I checked, that was a healthy part of any debating process. Feel free to reciprocate.

If we're talking about this season's roster and Franzen's place on it, then your anti-Franzen bias taints any logical ability to properly slot him into the line-up. The fact that you refer to him in the feminine context is absolutely childish and should provide adequate reason for other members of this forum, including myself, to call you on it, and challenge anything you have to say about the man.

That I do agree with you on! Unless Holland came out and said, everyone asked about Mantha that year, wait he did, he told TSN via the phone call after the Legwand deal, that Mantha was untouchable and was not being traded. He wasn't interested in trading him, so that is why he was never in on the Kesler or Vanek deal. But hey, not much else can be said about it...

So what? That year Pulkinnen barely played in the AHL and Larkin hadn't been drafted yet. Mantha was the only prospect other teams would covet at that time. So there's nothing to speculate about. Of course everyone asked for Mantha. What we were debating was this: who were teams asking for THIS year? Larkin, Mantha, or Pulkinnen? We'll never know.

Holland is business savvy. I don't doubt he is saying things even though the truth may be opposite...

I love all this Pulk and Mantha suck stuff! Pulk only lead the AHL in points all with playing 31 games in Detroit. Mantha started the season with a broken leg and even after that had 33 points in 62 games, that is getting a point every 2 games...not bad for someone who missed most of training camp and had to make up for lost time. I know Jimmy D said what he said and he knows more than all of us combined, but I reserve my assessment on him after a full healthy season. Even the likes of Abby had less than a point a game in his first AHL season and look how he turned out in the NHL. I know Mantha was touted to be "that sniper" but if he turns into a solid player like Abby and scoring 20+ goals a season, I think he will have a very successful NHL career...

What happens when/if Larkin only scores .6 points a game in his first full season in GR? Does he suck then?

Except Larkin has many dimensions as a player (speed, skill, grit, work ethic, character, etc.). Abdlekader? Same sort of thing only more physical, less speed and skill. The early signs point to Mantha having no hustle, grit, or work ethic. You better be filling the net in the AHL if that's the only dimension to your game. I can't see him killing penalties or blocking shots anytime soon.

Link? Going into his draft I remember his issue was work ethic and foot speed.

I also remember Mantha being the one teams asked for. But we'll never know for certain will we?

If only we knew someone who knew someone that sort of knew someone within the organization that could give us the real scoop. Oh well.